You have arranged to visit a friend in England but an important event at home now means that you must change the dates of the visit. Write a letter to your friend. In your letter explain the important event apologise for the situation suggest a new arrangement
Sample Response
Dear Oliver, Hope you and your family are doing great. I know that you wouldn’t like to hear what I am just about to say, but it looks like I won’t be able to visit you this coming summer, during mid-July, as was the plan, because I will have to stay in my country for an important event. In fact, one of my close cousins has suddenly announced that he is going to get married this coming summer in mid-July, just when I made a plan to visit you in England. By the way, it is a love marriage, and the parents of my cousins didn’t really agree with this kind of love marriage until suddenly they changed their minds about a week ago. Quite understandably, my cousin didn’t want to waste this opportunity, and so he wanted to get married as soon as possible. So, again, I am really sorry that I won’t be able to visit you this summer and do all those fun things which we planned. But, if you are still up for the fun, I could still visit you the next month in August. Warm wishes, Farhad
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Complete greeting Original: Hope you and your family are doing great Suggested revision: I hope you and your family are doing great Why it matters: A complete sentence is slightly more polished, even in an informal letter.
- 2. Natural phrase Original: what I am just about to say Suggested revision: what I am about to say Why it matters: The word "just" is unnecessary here.
- 3. Time phrase Original: during mid-July Suggested revision: in mid-July Why it matters: "In mid-July" is the natural time expression.
- 4. Past perfect Original: just when I made a plan Suggested revision: just when I had made plans Why it matters: Use past perfect to show the visit plan was already arranged.
- 5. Possessive number Original: the parents of my cousins Suggested revision: my cousin’s parents Why it matters: The letter mentions one cousin, so the possessive should be singular.
- 6. Less repetitive Original: this kind of love marriage Suggested revision: the relationship Why it matters: Repeating "love marriage" sounds awkward and unnecessary.
- 7. Adverb position Original: until suddenly they changed Suggested revision: until they suddenly changed Why it matters: This is the more natural word order.
- 8. Simpler link Original: Quite understandably, Suggested revision: As a result, Why it matters: The following sentence explains a consequence, so this link is clearer.
- 9. Natural collocation Original: waste this opportunity Suggested revision: miss this opportunity Why it matters: "Miss an opportunity" is the usual collocation.
- 10. Cleaner apology Original: So, again, Suggested revision: I am really sorry Why it matters: The phrase "So, again" is wordy before the apology.
- 11. Specific plans Original: all those fun things Suggested revision: the activities we planned Why it matters: This is clearer and a little more mature in tone.
- 12. Time expression Original: the next month in August Suggested revision: next month, in August Why it matters: The comma improves clarity, or you can simply write "in August".
Suggested Rewrites
- Hope you and your family are doing great I hope you and your family are doing great
- what I am just about to say what I am about to say
- during mid-July in mid-July
- just when I made a plan just when I had made plans
- the parents of my cousins my cousin’s parents
- this kind of love marriage the relationship
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Detailed feedback by IELTS writing criterion after the annotated essay.
Task Achievement
The letter explains the family wedding, apologises, and suggests visiting in August instead. The informal tone suits a friend, though the wedding explanation is a little overdeveloped compared with the new arrangement.
Give a more definite new arrangement, such as exact August dates or asking which week suits Oliver.
Coherence and Cohesion
The response has a clear sequence, but it is written as one long paragraph and contains repeated references to mid-July and "love marriage". This weakens concision.
Use paragraph breaks and reduce repeated background details so the apology and new plan stand out.
Lexical Resource
Vocabulary is generally flexible and natural for an informal letter. Some phrases are awkward or repetitive, such as "just when I made a plan" and "the next month in August".
Use concise informal wording and avoid repeating the same phrase when explaining the schedule clash.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Most grammar is clear, with a range of clauses and conditionals. There are errors in noun agreement, tense choice, and phrasing, but they do not block meaning.
Check plural possessives and time expressions, especially around "cousin" and the planned visit.